Sunrise Seeks Way To Get Golf Course Out Of Red

SUNRISE -- Like most golf courses, the city-owned Springtree Country Club is dotted with water hazards.

But years of financial losses at the club may have city officials wondering whether red ink, not water,floats in the lakes.

Sluggish finances have become the norm at the country club, just west of University Drive and north of Oakland Park Boulevard. In the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30, the city spent about $813,000 at Springtree, but took in just $516,000.

Though Mayor Larry Hoffman says a city-owned golf course is an asset to the community, he would like to see the club begin to pay for itself.

``It`s been a drain on the city for quite a while,`` Hoffman said. ``We just want to break even.``

Now the city is pursuing changes at Springtree that officials think could go a long way toward getting the club out of the red.

The city has been looking into turning over the maintenance of the golf course to a private company for several months now. Hoffman wants to hire a private company to work at the course and transfer Public Works Department employees who currently work there to other positions.

Officials say the city could save between $60,000 and $70,000 a year with private maintenance of the greens and fairways. Hoffman said this week that the city will seek bids for maintenance of the golf course early next year.

According to Hoffman, no city employees would lose their jobs under the proposed change because current Springtree employees would be transferred to vacant positions in the city.

But the move to bring a private maintenance firm to Springtree may come under fire from the Federation of Public Employees, the union that represents Springtree employees.

Union official Donna Fisher has said that transferring Springtree employees would violate the union`s bargaining agreement with the city unless the employees were guaranteed an equal amount of overtime in their new positions.

Asked about the union`s reaction to the proposal, Hoffman said, ``I don`t foresee any problems.``

In addition to the proposal to hire a private maintenance firm, the city has entered an agreement to turn over the operation of the country club lounge to a private business.

Sunrise North American Venture Inc. held the lease on the Springtree lounge in early 1981, but the city padlocked the building that spring after negotiations to build a 20-story hotel on the site broke down.

The company sued the city for theft and breach of contract, but an out-of- court settlement was reached last month. Under the settlement, the city agreed to sign a 25-year lease that the company is expected to assign to another firm.

The firm that is assigned the lease would operate the lounge and a swimming pool at Springtree.

Currently the city rents out the lounge for weddings and private parties, but city officials were instructed not to schedule any events after Dec. 1.

Hoffman would like to see a private restaurant occupy the lounge. ``It should help facilitate a little more action on the golf course,`` he said.

Parks and Recreation Director Walt Green hopes a new restaurant and aggressive marketing of the country club will lead to more players on the golf course.

``We think it`s one of the finest courses in the area,`` Green said.

City Council members ironed out the final details of the lease agreement last week.

Hoffman says that if the City Council approves hiring the private maintenance firm, the club could make significant financial gains within a year.